On-line music data providing system via bluetooth car kit

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an online music-data providing system via a Bluetooth car kit which comprises: a music-data providing server for providing music data through a network; a mobile communication system connected to the network; a mobile station for wirelessly accessing the mobile communication system and performing the Bluetooth protocol; and a Bluetooth car kit installed in a vehicle, having a Bluetooth function for performing the Bluetooth protocol, for performing short range radio links by the Bluetooth protocol to the mobile station, receiving the music data from the music-data-providing server through the mobile station, reproducing them, and outputting them. Since the music files distributed by the music-data-providing server are encoded, they are not transmitted or reproduced to other devices except the car kit. Further, the present invention provides various categories of contents in addition to the online music data distribution service through the car kit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is based on Korea Patent Application No.2001-28429 filed on May 23, 2001 in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] (a) Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an online music-data-providingsystem. More specifically, the present invention relates to an onlinemusic-data-providing system via a car kit.

[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art

[0005] As online data transmission speeds have been enhanced because ofdissemination of the Internet, online music data distribution servicesfor distributing music files through the Internet have become available.

[0006] Also, wireless data terminals such as mobile stations havespread, and accordingly, wireless data communication services, and inparticular, wireless Internet services using them, have increased.

[0007] The wireless Internet services support terminals that adopt theHTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) and the WAP (Wireless ApplicationProtocol) to use the wireless Internet.

[0008] Recently, Bluetooth, a short range radio communication standardfor wirelessly linking a computer and a peripheral device, a mobilestation and a computer, and home appliances respectively installedwithin a short range with each other to thereby enable bidirectional andreal-time communication has been adopted, and hardwired modules thatrealize Bluetooth have been distributed.

[0009] A car kit as embodied in the present invention is a car audiosystem and a microphone installed on it. In preparation for a voice callservice as well as for data communication such as with mobile stations,a microphone is provided to a car audio system, and a user sends theuser's voice using the microphone.

[0010] As the number of vehicles distributed has increased, drivers havecome to drive their cars longer and they listen to music for a longertime, but most of them listen to music from radio music programs, musiccassette tapes, or CDs through a car audio system installed in their owncar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide an onlinemusic-data-providing system for downloading music data to the systemthrough a car kit on line and reproducing them in cooperation with anonline music source distribution service, a wireless Internet service,and Bluetooth technology.

[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, an onlinemusic-data-providing system via a Bluetooth car kit comprises: amusic-data-providing server for providing music data on line through anetwork; a mobile communication system connected to the network; amobile station for wirelessly accessing the mobile communication system,and performing the Bluetooth protocol for short range links; and aBluetooth car kit installed in a vehicle, having a Bluetooth functionfor performing the Bluetooth protocol, for performing short range radiolinks by the Bluetooth protocol to the mobile station, receiving themusic data from the music-data-providing server through the mobilestation, reproducing them, and outputting them.

[0013] The Bluetooth car kit comprises: a Bluetooth communication unitfor performing short range radio links by the Bluetooth protocol to themobile station; a decompressor for decoding the music data received fromthe mobile station through the Bluetooth communication unit, anddecompressing them; an audio output unit for processing the music datadecompressed by the decompressor, reproducing them, and outputting themso that a user may listen to them through a plurality of speakers; avoice coder, comprising a microphone for receiving an external voice andoutputting a corresponding voice signal, for processing the voice signaloutput through the microphone and outputting the same; and a controllerfor controlling the Bluetooth communication unit, the decompressor, theaudio output unit, and the voice coder to control the whole operation ofthe car kit.

[0014] The mobile station comprises: a wireless transmitting andreceiving unit for receiving the music data from themusic-data-providing server through radio links to the mobilecommunication system; a user interface for receiving a user instruction,outputting it, and displaying predetermined information to the user; aBluetooth communication unit for performing short range radio links bythe Bluetooth protocol to the Bluetooth car kit; and a controller forcontrolling the wireless transmitting and receiving unit, the userinterface, and the Bluetooth communication unit to control the wholeoperation of the mobile station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of theinvention, and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an online music-data-providingsystem via a car kit according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0017]FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of a mobile station and acar kit in the online music-data-providing system of FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) show an operation flowchart of the onlinemusic-data-providing system via a car kit according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] In the following detailed description, only the preferredembodiment of the invention has been shown and described, simply by wayof illustration of the best mode contemplated by the inventor(s) ofcarrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention iscapable of modification in various obvious respects, all withoutdeparting from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptionare to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive.

[0020]FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an online music-data-providingsystem via a car kit according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0021] As shown, the online music-data-providing system via a car kitcomprises a music-data-providing server 10; a mobile communicationsystem 20; a mobile station 30; and a car kit 40.

[0022] The music-data-providing server 10 stores a plurality of musicdata, and transmits stored music data to the mobile station through theInternet 50 according to a download request by a member user that is amobile station user.

[0023] The user accesses the music-data-providing server 10 through themobile station 30. In this instance, the mobile station 30 is wirelesslyconnected to the mobile communication system 20, and the mobilecommunication system 20 is connected to the music-data-providing server10 through the Internet 50.

[0024] The car kit 40 is installed in the user's car 60, and isconnected to the mobile station 30 that is temporarily positioned in thecar 60 through a short range radio link by the Bluetooth protocol.

[0025]FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of the mobile station 30 andthe car kit 40 in the online music-data-providing system of FIG. 1.

[0026] As shown, the mobile station 30 comprises a wireless transmittingand receiving unit 32; a user interface 34; a data processing andcontrolling unit 36; and a Bluetooth communication unit 38.

[0027] The wireless transmitting and receiving unit 32 enables themobile station 30 to process data, and enables radio links between thedata processing and controlling unit 36 and the mobile communicationsystem 20.

[0028] The user interface 34 connects the user to the data processingand controlling unit 36, and it comprises an LCD and a key input device.

[0029] The Bluetooth communication unit 38 enables short range radiolinks by the Bluetooth protocol between the data processing andcontrolling unit 36 and the car kit 40.

[0030] The data processing and controlling unit 36 processes the datainput by the mobile communication system 20 through the wirelesstransmitting and receiving unit 32 to output them to the user interface34 or output them to the car kit 40 through the Bluetooth communicationunit 38, processes the data input from the car kit 40 through the userinterface 34 or the Bluetooth communication unit 38 to wirelesslytransmit them to the mobile communication system 20 through the wirelesstransmitting and receiving unit 32, thereby controlling the wholeoperation of the mobile station 30.

[0031] In this instance, the Bluetooth communication unit 38 followstechnology specifications, standardized by the Bluetooth SIG (SpecialInterest-Group), a technique standardizing consortium, for short rangeradio links (2.4 GHz ISM Open Band) between portable devices such as amobile station and a mobile computer and other peripheral devices withsmall size, low cost, and low power consumption.

[0032] The car kit 40 comprises a Bluetooth communication unit 400; avoice coder 410; a controller 420; a decompressor 430; an audio outputunit 440; and speakers 450 and 460.

[0033] The Bluetooth communication unit 400 enables short range radiolinks by the Bluetooth protocol between the mobile station 30 and thecontroller 420 of the car kit 40. That is, the Bluetooth communicationunit 400 forms a call path by the Bluetooth protocol to the Bluetoothcommunication unit 38 of the mobile station 30.

[0034] The Bluetooth call path includes an asynchronous call path fortransmitting data, and a synchronous call path for transmitting voicesignals. The voice coder 410 comprises a coder 412 for converting voicesignals input through the microphone 416 into digital signals, the voicesignals being used for browsing contents such as telephone calls on avoice basis; and an echo canceller 414 for canceling the speaker soundinput to the microphone.

[0035] The decompressor 430 decrypts and decompresses the music dataencrypted and compressed by the music-data-providing server 10.

[0036] The music-data-providing server 10 may transmit streaming musicdata and non-streaming general music data according to the user'sselection.

[0037] The streaming music data may be reproduced when the correspondingdata are not completely received, and the general music-data may bereproduced when they are completely received.

[0038] Therefore, the decompressor 430 decompresses the data differentlyaccording to data types input by the music-data-providing server 10,that is, depending on whether it is streaming music data or generalmusic data.

[0039] The decompressor 430 comprises a decryptor 432 for decompressingthe streaming music data; a decoder 434 for decoding the general musicdata; and a decryptor 436 for decompressing the data decoded by thedecoder 434.

[0040] The controller 420 controls the Bluetooth communication unit 400to form a call path to the Bluetooth communication unit 38 of the mobilestation 30, and processes the data input by the mobile station 30 tooutput them to the decompressor 430, thereby controlling the wholeoperation of the car kit 40.

[0041] The audio output unit 440 outputs the music data output by thedecompressor 430 so that the user may listen to them through the twospeakers 450 and 460. The audio output unit 440 comprises a D/Aconverter 442 for converting the music data output by the decompressor430 into analog signals; and an amplifier 444 for amplifying the analogsignals output by the D/A converter 442 to output to the speakers 450and 460.

[0042] The controller 420 comprises a memory for storing music data andother data transmitted by the mobile station 30.

[0043] Referring to FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), an operation of the onlinemusic providing system via a car kit according to the preferredembodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0044] It is assumed that the user of the mobile station 30 ispreviously registered to the music-data-providing server 10 through thecar kit 40. An operation to enter a server or a site that providespredetermined services as a member is obvious to a skilled person.

[0045] When the user turns on the car kit 40 installed in the car 60 instep S10, the car kit 40 performs its own initialization process in stepS20.

[0046] In this instance, the initialization process enables thecontroller 420 of the car kit 40 to check states of respectivecomponents in the car kit 40, and the controller 420 providescommunication instructions to the Bluetooth communication unit 400 andthe mobile station 30 after the initialization process in step S30.

[0047] The car kit 40 enters a standby state of a response signal fromthe mobile station 30 in step S40.

[0048] The mobile terminal 30 receives the communication instructionfrom the Bluetooth communication unit 400 of the car kit 40 in step S50,and transmits a response signal to the communication instruction to thecar kit 40 in step S60.

[0049] In further detail, when receiving the communication instructionby the Bluetooth communication protocol from the Bluetooth communicationunit 400 of the car kit 40, the Bluetooth communication unit 38 of themobile station 30 transmits this fact to the data processing andcontrolling unit 36, and the data processing and controlling unit 36controls the Bluetooth communication unit 38 to transmit a response tothe communication instruction transmitted by the car kit 40 to theBluetooth communication unit 400 of the car kit 40.

[0050] The Bluetooth communication unit 400 of the car kit 40 receivesthe response signal from the Bluetooth communication unit 38 of themobile station 30, transmits the same to the controller 420, and thecontroller 420 checks synchronous/asynchronous link states to the mobilestation 30 in step S70, and when the synchronous/asynchronous linkstates are normal, it stands by until the music data are downloaded fromthe mobile station 30 in step S80.

[0051] The user requests wireless Internet access from themusic-data-providing server 10 through the user's mobile station 30 instep S90, and the music-data-providing server 10 determines whether theuser is registered regarding the access request by the mobile station30, and issues an access allowance in step S100.

[0052] When receiving the access allowance from the music-data-providingserver 10, the user uses the mobile station 30 to select each desiredmusic file or a plurality of music files in step S110.

[0053] The user transmits a request to download the selected music filedata to the music-data-providing server 10 in step S120, andconcurrently transmits an instruction to the car kit 40 to notify of astart of downloading the music data in step S130.

[0054] The music-data-providing server 10 wirelessly transmits theselected music file data to the user's mobile station 30 according tothe corresponding downloading request through the mobile communicationsystem 20 connected to the Internet 50 in step S140, and the mobilestation 30 receives the music file data from the music-data-providingserver 10 and transmits them to the car kit 40 in step S150.

[0055] When receiving the instruction to notify of the start ofdownloading data from the mobile station in step S160, the controller420 of the car kit 40 stands by so as to receive the music data from themobile station 30, and when the mobile station 30 transmits the musicdata, the controller 420 receives the music data, stores them in thememory 470 in step S170, and checks the compression format of the musicdata in step S180.

[0056] When the compression format of the received music data is not thestreaming type but the general type in step S190, the controllerreceives the total music data and stores the same in the memory 470 instep S200.

[0057] The decoder 434 of the decompressor 430 decodes the general musicdata stored in the memory 470 in step S210, and the decryptor 436decompresses the decoded music data and outputs them to the audio outputunit 440 in step S220.

[0058] When the compression format of the received music data in theprevious step S190 is a streaming type, the controller 420 receives themusic data and transmits them to the decompressor 430, and the decryptor432 of the decompressor 430 decompresses the transmitted music data andoutputs them to the audio output unit 440 in step S230.

[0059] The D/A converter 442 of the audio output unit 440 converts thedigital music data output by the decompressor 430 into analog signals ofthe audible frequency band, and outputs them in step S240, and theamplifier 444 amplifies the analog signals in step S250, and outputsthem so that the user may listen to the same from the two speakers 450and 460 in step S260.

[0060] When a third person calls the user's mobile station 30 while theuser is listening to music selected through the car kit 40 after theabove-described process, in other words, when an external voice callaccess is requested, the data processing and controlling unit 36 of themobile station 30 notifies the controller 420 of the car kit 40 of theexternal voice call access request, the controller 420 temporarily orcompletely stops the present music reproducing operation, and when theuser uses the user interface 34 to connect to the external voice callaccess, the car kit 40 operates as a hands-free function of the mobilestation 30.

[0061] In this instance, the music being reproduced is stopped when theuser presses a call button provided to the user interface 34 of themobile station 30 or presses the same provided to the car kit 40. Thetechnical scope of the present invention is not restricted to this, andfurther various methods may be implemented.

[0062] When the user presses the call button (not illustrated) installedin the car kit 40, this fact is transmitted to the controller 420, andthe controller 420 performs a process depending on the operation statusof the car kit 40. For example, when the user receives a telephone callrequest while reproducing the music data, and presses a call button, themusic data are stopped temporarily or completely. In the like manner,when the user presses the call button again after the telephone call isfinished, the stopped music data may be reproduced again.

[0063] When the reproduced music is stopped, an external telephone callconnection is performed, and the user speaks through the microphone 416of the voice coder 410, the coder 412 converts the user's voice intocorresponding digital signals and outputs them to the controller 420,and the controller 420 transmits the converted voice signals to themobile station 30 to be transmitted to the third person. In thisinstance, the echo canceller 414 cancels the speaker sound input throughthe microphone 416.

[0064] Also, when the third person's voice data are transmitted to thecar kit 40 through the mobile station 30, the controller 420 outputs thevoice data through the speakers 450 and 460 so that the user may listento the third person's voice.

[0065] When someone calls the user while the user is reproducing musicdata, the user may answer the phone according to the above-notedoperation, and the temporarily paused music data may be reproducedaccording to the user's predetermined action, such as pressing the callbutton after the telephone call is finished.

[0066] In the above, a case when an external call is provided whilemusic data are reproduced is described, and further, when someone callsthe user while the user is receiving desired music file data from themusic-data-providing server 10, the user may completely or temporarilystop receiving the music file data as described above, answer the phone,and start receiving the music file data that was completely ortemporarily stopped after the call is finished.

[0067] According to the present invention, since the music filesdistributed by the music-data-providing server 10 are encoded, they maynot be transmitted or reproduced to other devices except the car kit 40.

[0068] Further, the present invention may provide various categories ofcontents in addition to the online music data distribution servicethrough the car kit 40.

[0069] While this invention has been described in connection with whatis presently considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to covervarious modifications and equivalent arrangements included within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An online music-data-providing system via aBluetooth car kit, comprising: a music-data-providing server forproviding music data on line through a network; a mobile communicationsystem connected to the network; a mobile station for wirelesslyaccessing the mobile communication system, and performing the Bluetoothprotocol for short range links; and a Bluetooth car kit installed in avehicle, having a Bluetooth function for performing the Bluetoothprotocol, for performing short range radio links by the Bluetoothprotocol to the mobile station, receiving the music data from themusic-data-providing server through the mobile station, reproducingthem, and outputting them, wherein the Bluetooth car kit is capable ofreproducing the music data in real-time while receiving the music datafrom the music-data-providing server.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe Bluetooth car kit comprises: a Bluetooth communication unit forperforming short range radio links by the Bluetooth protocol to themobile station; a decompressor for decoding the music data received fromthe mobile station through the Bluetooth communication unit, anddecompressing them; an audio output unit for processing the music datadecompressed by the decompressor, reproducing them, and outputting themso that a user may listen to them through a plurality of speakers; avoice coder, comprising a microphone for receiving an external voice andoutputting a corresponding voice signal, for processing the voice signaloutput through the microphone and outputting the same; and a controllerfor controlling the Bluetooth communication unit, the decompressor, theaudio output unit, and the voice coder to control the whole operation ofthe car kit.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the music-data-providingserver provides streaming music data and general music data, and thedecompressor determines types of the music data provided by themusic-data-providing server to perform a decompression operation.
 4. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the decompressor decompresses the music datain real-time while receiving the music data from the mobile station andoutputs them to the audio output unit when the music data are streamingmusic data, and the decompressor decodes the music data and decompressesthem after the music data are completely transmitted from the mobilestation when the music data are general music data.
 5. The system ofclaim 4, wherein the decompressor comprises: a first decryptor fordecompressing streaming music data; a decoder for decoding general musicdata; and a second decryptor for decompressing the music data decoded bythe decoder.
 6. The system of claim 2, wherein the voice codercomprises: a coder for converting the voice signal output from themicrophone into digital signals; and an echo canceller for canceling thespeaker sound input to the microphone.
 7. The system of claim 2, whereinthe audio output unit comprises: a D/A converter for converting themusic data decompressed by the decompressor into analog signals; and anamplifier for amplifying the analog signals output by the D/A converterand outputting them to the speaker.
 8. The system of claim 1, whereinthe mobile station comprises: a wireless transmitting and receiving unitfor receiving the music data from the music-data-providing serverthrough radio links to the mobile communication system; a user interfacefor receiving a user instruction, outputting it, and displayingpredetermined information to the user; a Bluetooth communication unitfor performing short range radio links by the Bluetooth protocol to theBluetooth car kit; and a controller for controlling the wirelesstransmitting and receiving unit, the user interface, and the Bluetoothcommunication unit to control the whole operation of the mobile station.9. The system of claim 1, wherein when an external telephone callrequest is provided to the mobile station while the Bluetooth car kitreceives predetermined music data from the music-data-providing serverand reproduces them, the Bluetooth car kit temporarily or completelystops reproducing the predetermined music data, and performs ahands-free function on the mobile station.
 10. The system of claim 9,wherein the temporarily stopped music data are reproduced again afterthe external telephone call is finished.
 11. The system of claim 1,wherein when an external voice call access request is provided to themobile station while the Bluetooth car kit receives predetermined musicdata from the music-data-providing server, the Bluetooth car kittemporarily or completely stops receiving the predetermined music-dataand performs a hands-free function on the mobile station.
 12. The systemof claim 11, wherein the temporarily stopped music data are receivedagain after the external telephone call is finished.
 13. A mobilestation comprising: a wireless transmitting and receiving unit forreceiving music data from a music-data-providing server through radiolinks to a mobile communication system connected through a network tothe music-data-providing server that provides music data; a userinterface for receiving a user instruction, outputting it, anddisplaying predetermined information to the user; a Bluetoothcommunication unit for performing short range radio links by theBluetooth protocol to the Bluetooth car kit; and a controller forcontrolling the wireless transmitting and receiving unit, the userinterface, and the Bluetooth communication unit to transmit the musicdata provided by the music-data-providing server to the Bluetooth carkit, and controlling the Bluetooth car kit to perform a hands-freefunction, wherein when an external telephone call request is provided tothe mobile station while the mobile station is transmittingpredetermined music data to the Bluetooth car kit, the controller of themobile station temporarily or completely stops transmitting thepredetermined music data to the Bluetooth car kit and controls theBluetooth car kit to perform a hands-free function on the mobilestation.
 14. A Bluetooth car kit for receiving external compressed musicdata and reproducing the same, comprising: a Bluetooth communicationunit for performing short range radio links by the Bluetooth protocol toa mobile station that receives the compressed music data from apredetermined music-data-providing server through radio data links; adecompressor for decoding the compressed music data received from themobile station through the Bluetooth communication unit, anddecompressing them; an audio output unit for processing the music datadecompressed by the decompressor, reproducing them, and outputting themso that a user may listen to them through a plurality of speakers; avoice coder, comprising a microphone for receiving an external voice andoutputting a corresponding voice signal, for processing the voice signaloutput through the microphone and outputting the same; and a controllerfor controlling the Bluetooth communication unit, the decompressor, theaudio output unit, and the voice coder to reproduce the compressed musicdata received from the mobile station so that a user may listen to them,and performing a hands-free function of the mobile station through themicrophone and the speaker, wherein the controller controls thedecompressor to output the decoded music data to the audio output unitin real-time and the audio output unit to reproduce the outputted musicdata in real-time while receiving the music data from themusic-data-providing server.
 15. An online music data providing methodvia a Bluetooth car kit, comprising: a user wirelessly accessing amusic-data-providing server through a mobile station, the mobile stationbeing wirelessly connected to a mobile communication system accessed tothe music-data-providing server; the user selecting a music file throughthe mobile station from among the music files provided by themusic-data-providing server; the music-data-providing server providingdata of the music file selected by the user to the mobile station; themobile station receiving the music data from the music-data-providingserver, and transmitting the same to the Bluetooth car kit, theBluetooth car kit being connected to the mobile station through shortrange radio links by the Bluetooth protocol; and the Bluetooth car kitdecompressing and reproducing the music data transmitted from the mobilestation, wherein the Bluetooth car kit is capable of decompressing andreproducing the music data in real-time while receiving the music datafrom the music-data-providing server.
 16. An agency method for providingmusic data by a mobile station comprising: a mobile station accessing amusic-data-providing server through radio links to a mobilecommunication system; requesting the music-data-providing server toprovide data on the file selected by the user from among the music filesprovided by the music-data-providing server; and receiving the musicdata from the music-data-providing server, and transmitting them to theBluetooth car kit, the Bluetooth car kit being connected to the mobilestation through short range radio links by the Bluetooth protocol andreproducing the music data transmitted from the mobile station, whereinwhen an external telephone call request is provided to the mobilestation while the mobile station is transmitting predetermined musicdata to the Bluetooth car kit, the mobile station temporarily orcompletely stops transmitting the predetermined music data to theBluetooth car kit and controls the Bluetooth car kit to perform ahands-free function on the mobile station.
 17. A method for receivingand reproducing provided music data by a Bluetooth car kit comprising:the Bluetooth car kit accessing a mobile station through short rangeradio links by the Bluetooth protocol; receiving music data through theshort range radio links from a mobile station that receives the musicdata from a music-data-providing server, the mobile station wirelesslyaccessing the music-data-providing server through a mobile communicationsystem connected to the music-data-providing server through a network toreceive the music data from the music-data-providing server;decompressing the music data transmitted from the mobile station; andreproducing the decompressed music data, wherein the Bluetooth car kitis capable of decompressing and reproducing the music data in real-timewhile receiving the music data from the music-data-providing server.